Stories for August 2017

Wednesday, August 30

BROOKINGS (AP) — Firefighters in southern Oregon on Tuesday gained a toehold on a fire burning near the coastal town of Brookings but new evacuations were ordered after a flare-up on a different complex of lightning-caused fires in a remote area near the California border.

The trio of Alberto Gallegos, Reed Twidwell and Alex Gutierrez combined for seven goals and nine assists, led by Gallegos’ hat trick and five assists, as The Dalles Riverhawks broke open a 3-0 halftime lead with six second-half goals in a 9-1 road victory over Redmond Tuesday.

With a chance to hit someone else besides themselves, the two-time defending champion Dufur Rangers reeled off nine touchdowns and the varsity defense gave up one score in three games played to go 2-0-1 at the North Douglas Jamboree Friday in Drain.

District 21 has hired Wright Public Affairs, which has managed winning campaigns for school bonds and levies in the Portland Metro area, to guide its facilities bond campaign.
The hiring was announced at the North Wasco County School District 21 meeting last Thursday.

Although many area residents may not even realize there is still an aluminum manufacturing facility operating in The Dalles, the SAPA Extrusion North America plant at 2929 W. Second Street continues to expand and invest in its growing work force. On Thursday, Aug. 24, SAPA – which stands for Scandinavian Aluminum Profile Association – held its second annual “Health and Safety Day” on the front lawn of its facility, and dozens of employees turned out to enjoy a free lunch catered by Beachwood Eatery in The Dalles.

A senior citizen in The Dalles spent the weekend stressing about a phishing call involving her Di­sh Network account that she worried might have made her vulnerable to identity theft. “I’m fine but there are a lot of seniors out there who get intimidated by that kind of stuff and I think they should know about this,” she said.

Saturday, August 26

DUFUR – After a one-year break, Kayla Bailey is back and ready to be a driving force behind the surge of the Dufur volleyball team.
As one of four setters on the roster, Bailey is looking forward to the chance to take over the role vacated by graduated senior and all-state winner, Sydney Reed.

MAUPIN – Toward the end of last season, a concussion sidelined Kyrsten Sprouse at the most inopportune time.
With Sprouse on the bench, second-seeded South Wasco County lost two district matches to Dufur and Ione and were eliminated from postseason play.
Looking to atone for last year, Sprouse played on a club team in Madras to further sharpen her skills and help the Lady Redsides get back into the playoff mix.

PRINEVILLE — Patrick Lair with the U.S. Forest Service drove into the Ochoco National Forest to see how things looked after hosting thousands of eclipse visitors. "At one point, we had bumper-to-bumper traffic from the prairie out past Prineville," he said. "I'm kind of amazed not to see more trash on the sides of the road."

Friday, August 25

In the final triathlon race of the 2017 season, several of the Pacific Northwest’s top athletes will be on full display for the 29th annual Aluminum Man Triathlon on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Riverfront Park in The Dalles.
The number of local competitors is usually high with triathlon enthusiasts spanning Goldendale, Hood River, Dufur, White Salmon and The Dalles, but there are a few from Vancouver, Portland and everywhere else from all over the Northwest.

DUFUR – With a pair of championship rings already in his back pocket, Dufur senior Hagen Pence is looking for one more dance with destiny.
He warns, however, that the 2017 season and 1A football landscape has changed during the offseason and the proverbial target is even larger, so the back-to-back state champion Rangers cannot afford to look too far ahead.

After a nearly 40-year existence, the Mid-Columbia Council of Governments has voted to find new homes for its four programs and will cease to function as a direct service provider. The four programs are: transportation, which includes the LINK dial-a-ride as well as a non-emergency medical transport service; the Area Agency on Aging, which helps with meals and other services for seniors; workforce development programs; and regional building codes services.

UMATILLA, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has authorized the killing of two wolves from a pack in northeastern Oregon.
The agency said Thursday in a statement that wolves have killed four calves from a local ranch.

Youth and children from throughout the region are invited to a “Back to School Bash” starting at noon Saturday at the Wahtonka Campus of The Dalles High School, 220 E. 10th Street.
The event is free, and backpacks with school supplies will be available, along with free haircuts, games and clothing.

By this time next year, The Dalles football team will be in a new league with a preseason goal of winning a state championship.
With that in mind, head coach Steve Sugg and his coaching staff are dialed in on teaching the fundamentals, retaining athletes and putting this group in the best position possible to enjoy success in the program’s final year as an independent.

To the editor:
You’ve got to be kidding me! Representative Walden just put out a letter Aug. 3, 2017, requesting his supporters to donate $150 to his campaign fund so he can fight the “crowd that wants to kick ranch families off the range” and the “paid organizers” and people who “drove from Portland to scream him down” at his town halls.

Some alterations are planned for the Riverenza Espresso Bar & Café, located at 401 E. 10th Street in a century-old stone building, an impressive structure that once housed the Church of Christ. The Riverenza, which first opened as a coffee shop in November 2007, is now gearing up for new ownership and a new direction. “We are in a transition phase,” said Noah Blakely, who is in the process of purchasing the business with his wife and co-owner, Lauren.

A four-footed fugitive turned officers from The Dalles Police Department into wranglers for about an hour on Wednesday afternoon. “Don’t let it get on the freeway” was the message relayed by officers when the pregnant black cow ceased running through city streets and headed for Interstate 84.

Wednesday, August 23

Through the opening week of preseason workouts, Matthew Dallman sees a driven team that is a few steps ahead of the developmental curve they had during the first month and a half of his first year with the program in 2016.

It’s running a tad late, but representatives of the Columbia River Gorge Commission (CRGC) are optimistic the “Gorge 2020 Management Plan Review & Update Process” will be in draft form by the summer of 2019.

Two weeks before he was hired to take the helm at Sonrise Academy in The Dalles, Frank Sarvabui almost pitched his administrator’s certificate, thinking he would not need it anymore.
“I was going through some old paperwork and came across it. I thought, ‘I oughta just toss this out’ but for some reason I couldn’t — and it turned out to be a God thing,” he said.

The Dalles finally has a museum dedicated exclusively to the military. With thousands of veterans living in Wasco County, a museum to honor locals who have served in the armed forces has long been on a community “wish list,” and is now a reality.

Fire crews from Dallesport-Murdock and The Dalles, along with the U.S. Forest Service, responded to the Washington side of The Dalles Dam on Tuesday around 1:30 p.m. to douse hot spots from a previous wildfire that flared up again across from the overlook next to the hydropower plant.

Entering his second year as head coach of The Dalles girls’ soccer team, Oscar Nunez has noticed a different mindset amongst his players – there is a closeness and cohesion that was not there during the 2016 campaign.

As one of two returning senior veterans on The Dalles volleyball team, all-league hitter Kathryn Bradford is using this time to be a leader by example and a sounding board for the program with several underclassmen.

To the editor:
Oregon’s mighty District 2 is the seventh largest in the nation, and makes up more than two-thirds of our entire state. Congressman Greg Walden was first elected to represent us in 1998 following 10 years in the Oregon Legislature and six years as Representative Denny Smith’s chief of staff in the United States Congress.

To the editor:
I want to give a special THANK YOU to everyone who worked so hard and gave so much to make our Mid-Columbia Senior Center Uplifting Elevator Project a rousing success. The contributions and cooperation from this community has been astonishing.

The moon's shadow passing directly in front of the sun, blotting out all but the halo-like solar corona, was reported Monday to have been the most watched celestial event in human history.
Millions across the United States travelled to key viewing areas and tens of thousands came to Central Oregon, many passing through Wasco County.

Saturday, August 19

The Dalles High School athletes Dalles Seufalemua and Dominic Smith were invited to participate in the Pacific Northwest Regional Baseball Tournament held this weekend in Ravensdale, Wash. for a showcase, where the top prospects from the classes of 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 had an opportunity to show off their talents in front of colleges and professional scouts.

To the editor:
As military leaders, corporate leaders, members of Congress, and countless others of all political persuasions denounce the violence, racism, hatred and intolerance of alt-right/neo-Nazi/white supremacy/KKK demonstrators in Charlottesville last weekend, there are a few voices not speaking out with convincing conviction.

The concept behind Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation is in the organization’s motto: “Giving back to those who have given.” The devotion inherent in the motto was recently on display at the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport in Dallesport.

The Dalles is among those areas that have reported a shortage of eclipse viewing glasses. While genuine protective eyewear is the only safe way to directly view the eclipse, one alternative to glasses includes a homemade pinhole projector.

News Release from Oregon Office of Emergency Management
Salem -- As the eclipse quickly approaches, issues related to traffic, wildfires, and smoke are affecting travel. Rumors related to fuel, and a shortage of eclipse-rated glasses, are also prompting concerns. The Oregon Eclipse Joint Information Center, working with partner centers and agencies around the state, will issue regular updates starting today.

Friday, August 18

With just a month away, excitement is brewing for the seventh annual Gorge Kids Triathlon. This critical fundraiser event is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17 at the Hood River Waterfront Park, located at 650 Portway Ave. in Hood River.

Over the past seven years, there has been a decline in new officials joining up across all sports, so that has given the Mid-Columbia Officials Association more involved in recruiting new men and women from the surrounding communities.

MAUPIN – What started as a senior class project has turned into a popular physical education curriculum. Back in 2008, South Wasco County senior Kris Belozer organized a fly fishing program to help local youth understand the rules and regulations of the sport, while fishing renown bodies of water across the Pacific Northwest. His goal is to establish a baseline where kids gain a love for an activity that will last a lifetime.

Mid-Columbia Medical Center has “turned a corner as a whole,” said its new chief executive officer, Dennis Knox. He said rumors that the hospital would be closing its doors due to financial issues were unfounded.

Mid-Columbia Medical Center is considering options for its unprofitable visiting health service that include keeping it but reducing losses, or selling it to another company. MCMC officials hope for the former.

Neil Pober of New Jersey is flying to Oregon for Monday’s total solar eclipse, but he didn’t really think that tens of thousands of other people would be making the same trip when he booked a hotel room six months ago.
“It’s a once in a lifetime event, I think,” he said.

Thursday, August 17

INDIANAPOLIS – Led by the largest one-year increase in girls participation in 16 years, the overall number of participants in high school sports increased for the 28th consecutive year in 2016-17, according to the annual High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Lydia DiGennaro, Maisie Bandel-Ramirez, Maverick Varland, and Kaiya Doty each met ‘B’ time standards, Doty also added a solid ‘A’ time, and The Dalles swim team rattled off 17 top-10 finishes at the three-day Bend Invitational, ending Sunday in Bend.

To the editor:
Let me cut to the chase. Constituents in Oregon District 2 are fully aware that Representative Greg Walden has sold out to corporate interests and the chaotic Trump administration as evidenced not only through his voting record and the corporate campaign donations he receives, but also because he was the chief architect of the failed disastrous health care bill.

The huge lines of people waiting to get into the Antiques Roadshow is reminiscent of a line at the airport, only all the people have really cool luggage. The show, now in its 22nd season, was taping in Portland last Saturday at the Oregon Convention Center.

The city of The Dalles is hoping to encourage residents to try different modes of transportation. Starting Sept. 16 and continuing through the end of the month, the city will partner with Mid-Columbia Economic Development District and the Oregon Department of Transportation for the 2017 “Oregon Statewide Drive Less Connect Challenge.”

The most anticipated event of the summer is just five days away, and the city of Goldendale is getting ready for the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, with large numbers of people expected to crowd the area for the historical event. Goldendale will have an eclipse party on Aug. 20 to commemorate the event on Main Street from 7-9 p.m., with live music by Lem Pratt and the Hard Road Band, playing classic country and gospel.

The PUD has heard of a rumor circulating that there will be rolling blackouts during the eclipse. The PUD wants to assure customer-owners that no such blackouts planned. We have been working with our community Emergency Response partners to take steps to ensure safe and reliable power before, during, and the event, the PUD reported in an email alert.

Wednesday, August 16

SALEM — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday signed into law a bill expanding coverage on abortions and other reproductive services to thousands of Oregonians, regardless of income, citizenship status or gender identity. Proponents called it America's most progressive reproductive health policy.

MORO – The Sherman County School District plans to celebrate the induction of four individuals and one team into the Sherman County School District Hall of Honor during a halftime ceremony at the Sept. 22 home football game against Ione.

For 36 holes covering two days in The Dalles, Dan Telles and Paul Titus battled back and forth for bragging rights. Telles rode a first-day, two-stroke lead to top honors at The Dalles Classic Club Championship ending Sunday at The Dalles Country Club.

The managers of Pendleton-based Wheatland Insurance Center long ago realized that setting up a branch office in The Dalles made good sense, because Wheatland focuses on providing farm and crop insurance for rural, agricultural communities. And the expanding company made its move early this year.

Portland police captured one of two prisoners who escaped from a fire camp in Goldendale early Wednesday morning without incident.
According to reports, Tyray Munter, 30, was taken into custody about 5:52 a.m. on Aug. 16 at a 7-11 at the corner of Southeast 82nd Street and Powell Blvd.

The number of people expected to descend on Central Oregon for the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse has more than tripled from earlier estimates, and Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill has upgraded public safety plans accordingly. Instead of the projected 75,000 people traveling to Jefferson County to be close to Madras, which lies squarely in the Path of Totality, there are likely to be 250,000.

The Columbia Gorge Community College Board of directors and president Dr. Frank Toda signed a “mutually acceptable separation agreement” effective Sept. 29 in a special board session Tuesday evening at The Dalles campus.

To the editor:
I just finished reading your latest editorial “Crosstalk” rant against liberals and how they are responsible for the failure of Republicans to repeal and replace Obamacare. (“Truth Lies Behind Narrative”, August 8, 2017). After eight years of promising to repeal it, Republicans were unable to get anything passed. They themselves own that failure.

To the editor:
In response to the “concerned citizens” letter regarding immigration and NORCOR (Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities), I would like to clarify a few of the concerns that are being raised by this group.

The Goldendale Police Department was contacted by the Washington State Department of Corrections on Aug. 15, 2017, at about 3 a.m. to report that two convicted DOC prisoners from Olympic Correction Center escaped the fire camp which was at the Goldendale Middle School.

Some 70 people attended a vigil Sunday evening on the Wasco County Courthouse steps in reaction to violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., that left a woman dead.
Event organizer Dr. Mimi McDonell was overwhelmed by the response to the event, which she publicized earlier that day through social media.

Stepping into his new post as athletic director and vice principal at The Dalles High School in 2013, Mike Somnis had no idea what to expect. As he resigned his position in late June, after four years, he left Riverhawk Nation with lifelong friends, students who looked up to him and a community that offered the utmost respect and admiration for an administrator and parental figure who put everything he had into his career.

To the editor:
RaeLynn Ricarte writes, in her column, “The present high level of deception would not be possible if citizens were grounded in the principles of the U.S. Constitution and truly understood how a republican form of government was supposed to work.”
In a republic, the supreme power is held by the people. Our representatives do not supplant us; and politicians are not demigods.

To the editor:
A man engaged me about my “judging” letters at the Farmer’s Market here in town. Why must I judge other people’s religion? Why? All men are entitled to hear that there is just one truth.

As the debate over housing illegal immigrants at the regional jail ebbs and flows, I have found myself wishing the conversation would broaden into treatment of inmates as a whole. Why should we, as a society, accept any human being be subjected to sub-par living conditions? No one who is locked up should be eating meat labelled “not for human consumption,” but it is happening.

When the police chief heard that the Chronicle would be interviewing retiring The Dalles Police Capt. Steve Baska, the chief’s immediate — and correct — response was, “Oh no!” Baska is famously, delightfully, unfiltered. His 31 years with the city police enabled him to wryly observe, and comment upon, the foibles of humanity.

Running shoes don’t come cheap these days, and not every high school student has a budget that can cover the cost of new footwear. “I have started a shoe drive where we are asking for anyone with gently used, or new, running shoes laying around, to donate them to benefit the runners at the high school. The shoes we collect would benefit The Dalles High School cross country and track teams,” explained Angela Hanson, whose daughter, Emily Johnson, will be on the school’s cross country team this fall and the track team in the spring.

America is losing 330 World War II veterans every day and 96 percent of the 16.1 million who served in that conflict are now dead. “Time is of the essence to honor our ‘Greatest Generation,’” said Dick Tobiason, a retired Army officer who leads Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon, a nonprofit organization based in Bend. The group is getting ready to fly eight to 10 veterans and their guardians to Washington, D.C., to see the WWII memorial built to honor their service and sacrifice.

The second annual Vintage Dufur Days offers plenty of family fun this weekend, Aug. 12 and 13. People are invited to step back in time to and enjoy displays in the historic town of horse-drawn equipment, tractors, a thresher and other pieces of antique farm equipment.

A fire burning through the Warm Springs Indian Reservation has spread to more than 21,000 acres and led to evacuation of some residents. According to reports, the Nena Springs fire burning along Highway 3 near Simnasho started Tuesday night about a half-mile north of the reservation.

Thursday, August 10

Brian Stevens, the new head coach for The Dalles High School girls’ basketball team, said he has a simple motto that reflects his philosophy about the sport. “Basketball is a game of mistakes,” Stevens said. “The team that makes the fewest mistakes usually wins.”

There’s good news for the Pacific Northwest and the federal hydro system that powers it. Key members of our congressional delegation have stepped up to emphasize the value of our dams that provide affordable, renewable hydropower, flood control, navigable waters for agriculture, recreation, business and our way of life.

To the editor:
Response to TDC Op Ed regarding NORCOR of Aug. 6. Reading the headline “Jail protests may do long term harm” stimulated me to create a somewhat different wording: “Jail sentences do long term harm to ICE detainees who have committed no criminal offense.”

To the editor:
I read the Chronicle’s editorial on NORCOR and the protests and it avoided the central issue: jail vs detention. NORCOR is not a bad facility and the people who run it are not bad people, but a jail and a detention facility are not the same.

Are you planning to be on the water for the eclipse? The Oregon State Marine Board, marine law enforcement and boating facility providers offer boating safety tips so everyone can have an unforgettable time on the water.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Total solar eclipses occur every year or two or three, often in the middle of nowhere like the South Pacific or Antarctic. What makes the Aug. 21 eclipse so special is that it will cut diagonally across the entire United States.

Middle school students from around the Mid-Columbia were challenged this week at “Inventor’s Camp,” a hands-on science and technology camp introduced by Oregon State University and hosted by the OSU Extension Service of Wasco County and Columbia Gorge Community College.

Motorsports fans won't have to travel far to experience the sights, sounds and high-speed action of auto racing as the C.H. Urness Motors/The Dalles NAPA-sponsored Dallesport Drags will be a highlight event of the Neon Cruise this Sunday, Aug. 13, at the airport in Dallesport.

Wednesday, August 9

A visit to the Oregon coast proved to be very rewarding for members of the Dance Club Academy from The Dalles. The team of dancers — who ranged in age from 8 to 18 — competed at the grand championships in Seaside on the Aug. 4-5, and placed first in every category.

The Wall That Heals will soon arrive in Goldendale to honor Vietnam veterans and provide area residents with an opportunity to pay respects to the more than 58,000 warriors who fell in battle — and show their support for those who came home. The travelling half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C, arrives in Goldendale about 11 a.m. on Aug. 30.

Boaters and swimmers cool off in the Columbia River off Riverfront Park in The Dalles. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory through 8 p.m. Thursday, as high pressure will sustain hot and dry conditions over the inland Northwest. An air quality alert is also in effect through Saturday for Wasco, Jefferson, Deschutes and Crook counties.

Tuesday, August 8

LONDON (AP) — Some athletes at the world championships staying at an official hotel have become ill.
The local organizing committee says there have been "a number of cases of gastroenteritis" reported by some teams.

It’s a workout for a good cause. This coming Friday, Aug. 11, CrossFit The Dalles will engage in a day-long fundraiser for the family of Parker Lee Perkins, a 4-year-old boy from The Dalles who died July 30 as a result of an off-road vehicle accident near Goldendale, Wash. Two CrossFit coaches – Hailey Tenneson and Britt Gannon – came up with the idea because Parker Perkins’ aunt, Michelle Austin, regularly works out at CrossFit, which is located at 312 Court St. in downtown The Dalles.

To the editor:
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire community for the support and words of encouragement over the past few days. Losing our business to a fire is a big loss not only to us, but also to the town of Wasco and all of Sherman County.

Wasco County emergency managers are ready for everything — from snake bites to traffic snarls, car wrecks, drownings and wildfires — that could result from having thousands of people converge on the region for the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse. Sheriff Lane Magill expects so much action in south county during the weekend prior to the eclipse that he is setting up two command posts to respond to incidents.

Jessika Nañez, an incoming The Dalles High School senior, was named Oregon’s Distinguished Young Woman Saturday in Salem, winning a $3,000 scholarship and the option of full-ride scholarships at various colleges nationwide.

Saturday, August 5

There’s a new sport in town, and it’s one most people have probably never heard of before.
The sport is called “pickleball,” and has a playing court that uses the dimensions and layout of a badminton court with a net and rules similar to tennis.

“Tell me about your painting,” says Hood River artist Sarah Starr as a youngster approaches her with a wet canvas during Summer Art Camp at The Dalles Art Center.
It’s a question Starr asks frequently, allowing the young artists in her class to show her their work and seek advice, or just more paint, without her making any sort of judgement or assumption about their painting.

Friday, August 4

Klickitat Advocacy has organized “Love Your Columbia” on Aug. 26, giving volunteers the opportunity to pick up litter, pull invasive weeds and perform other restoration at Columbia River locations in their communities.

The Dalles High School graduate Johanna Wilson was one of six members of the Pacific University women’s tennis program to receive recognition from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for its efforts in the classroom.

In the final triathlon race of the 2017 season, several of the Pacific Northwest’s top athletes will be on full display for the 29th annual Aluminum Man Triathlon on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Riverfront Park in The Dalles.

Cameron Smith, executive director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, recently awarded each member of the local “Got Your Six” band with a military challenge coin for their work to promote and raise funds for vet causes. “I got chills when he handed it to us,” said Chris Mumford, founder and drummer for the band named after the military term for “Got Your Back.”

Thursday, August 3

The Dalles Youth Football Camp is opening up registration for boys and girls from the first-through-eighth grades. The camp runs from 6-8:30 p.m. starting on Aug. 17 until Aug. 19 on Sid White Field on the Wahtonka campus.

INDIANAPOLIS — All uniforms worn in high school track and field/cross country must be either issued or approved by the school.
The uniform revision in Rule 4-3-1 was one of the four revisions recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field Rules Committee at its recent board meeting held in Indianapolis.

All of us in Oregon and across the country deserve access to safe, clean drinking water. That’s why the Energy and Commerce Committee — where I serve as chairman — just passed bipartisan legislation to modernize the nation’s drinking water infrastructure.

To the editor:
When I was in my early teens I delivered The Dalles Chronicle and I have been a faithful subscriber for many decades. This letter is prompted by the declining quality of The Dalles Chronicle, especially the editorial content. Emblematic of the decline are the awful political cartoons.

To the editor:
In your article “Garbage burns at county landfill” there was a major aspect that you totally ignored. Saturday morning we awoke to the horrible smell of toxic burning garbage, even though we live over a mile away from the landfill.

When Denise Ellis set up a trail camera in her backyard, she was hoping to catch photographs of raccoons at her fountain. Instead the camera, which is triggered automatically by heat and motion, caught this image of an owl visiting the fountain during the night.

Citing a failure of the business to comply with conditions of its site plan permit, The Dalles Planning Department has revoked the “site plan review” permit for A&P Recycling. The key issues the city wants to clear up are the company’s method of outside storage and lack of screening.

The Missing in America Project has arranged for the unclaimed cremains of six veterans to be transported from La Grande to Willamette National Cemetery in Portland for internment with honors on Friday, Aug. 4. A flagline will be formed at the Chevron station near The Dalles Bridge at 9:15 a.m. to honor the service of the veterans during the escort’s fuel stop. Community members are invited to bring a flag and pay their respects.

A 22-year-old Spanish woman heading for a six-week stay in Corvallis was denied entry to the U.S. at the Portland airport July 5 and spent 38 hours at the regional jail in The Dalles before being returned to Spain.

There are currently no active wildfires in the Wasco, Sherman and Gilliam counties; however, smoke coming from fires elsewhere has caused poor air quality in The Dalles.
North Central Public Health District reminds residents to take precautions to avoid illness due to wildfire smoke inhalation.

Wednesday, August 2

PORTLAND – USA Football announces 11 youth football leagues spanning nine states to pilot Rookie Tackle – a bridge game between flag football and 11-player tackle.
Rookie Tackle, a bridge game between flag football and 11-player tackle, is designed to introduce young athletes to tackle football.

DUFUR – Kristin Whitley knows the legacy of the past and the success of the Dufur Ranger volleyball program has enjoyed in its history. She is not overwhelmed by stepping to the forefront, however, saying it is time to get to work to lead Dufur High School back to 1A prominence.

A 4-year-old boy from The Dalles, Parker Lee Perkins, died in an off-road-vehicle accident Sunday afternoon near Goldendale. The vehicle involved in the accident is called a UTV, or a utility task vehicle, and is also known as a side by side, since UTVs can seat two to four people.

Tuesday, August 1

INDIANAPOLIS – Effective January 1, 2019, all balls used in high school baseball competition shall meet the NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) standard at the time of manufacture. This revision in Rule 1-3-1 was one of the four changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee at its June 4-6 meeting in Indianapolis.

With nearly half the roster in attendance, The Dalles swim team shattered last year’s lap and money total at its fourth annual Dolphin Dive fundraiser event held on Monday, July 17, at the Ted Walker Memorial Pool in the North Wasco Aquatic Center.

To the editor:
An open letter to NORCOR board members: We are a group of concerned citizens who have been educating ourselves about the complex issue of immigration and how it is being handled here in Wasco County and our regional jail area. We are fully committed to seeing the federal contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cancelled and NORCOR serving only as a facility for regular criminal justice matters.

A fire at the Wasco County Landfill on Steele Road was reported early Saturday morning, and 30 planeloads of water and foam were dropped on it to quell it as quickly as possible, an official said. Reported around 1 a.m. Saturday, it was fully out by Sunday around 6 p.m., said Kevin Green, district manager for Waste Connections, which runs the landfill.

Laurel Bushman of Hood River didn’t discover her passion for painting landscapes until eight years ago, but the retired educator’s talent with oils has placed her among 40 artists selected to compete in the 2017 Pacific Northwest Plein Air in the Columbia River Gorge event. Plein Air denotes the 19-centry style of painting outdoors, which was a central feature of French impressionism.